Vulcan No. 3 Arrives! Morrill Not Pleased With Builders
This could have been the headlines in the local newspaper but wasn’t. After reading a lot of Harold Morrill’s correspondence, you kind of get a feel for his personality. On occasion it is somewhat amusing the way that he politely but FIRMLY let the offending party know he was not pleased! See bullet 5 below.
As the year 1911 moved in to 1912, the Monson realized they needed to renew their motive power. Both their Hinckleys were just worn out. When it was decided to use Vulcan Iron Works to build their new loco, Harold began an extensive period of correspondence with Vulcan “specing out” the new “machine”. From the overall gist of the correspondence, Supt. Morrill had some issues with Vulcan, especially when No. 3 was delivered!
Finally the big day came when Vulcan No. 3 was delivered at Dover Maine. He had it weighed there and it came to 34700 pounds light. He figured it would weigh 36000 loaded and ready to go. In a letter dated February 28, 1913 to the general manager Geo. F. Barnard, he listed several concerns.
*There was only one safety valve when it needed two, as required by ICC
*There was no plate on the boiler back head stating the max pressure
*However a stamping on the boiler back head indicated the number of the boiler, the date and “275 lbs”. Harold quickly pointed out that according to specs, 165 was the correct pressure.
*There was no water glass as required by the ICC
Reading the letter you can feel Superintendent Morrills pressure rising!
*There was no builders’ specification card as required. Harold had had trouble with Vulcan before and reminded Mr. Barnard that he had contacted the Chief Inspector of Locomotives in Washington DC to please forward a copy of the rules and regulations as required by the ICC to Vulcan (in case they didn’t have a copy)! I love it!
*Coal capacity was severely limited. There was “no chance for any on the floor”. Specs called for a capacity of 1800 lbs. Harold adds a little acidly that it (coal bunker) wasn’t close to that and that “this is not very convienient….”
*Harold wants to “know at once” what the steam pressure is supposed to be and also the spec card.
They hauled the new “machine”, as Supt. Morrill sometimes called it, dead from the Junction and then didn’t put it in service for a few months. However eventually Morrill was satisfied, as the loco became a real workhorse for the Monson Railroad.
